Despite a promising start the sunset was not as spectacular as I had hoped, but I still managed a few images looking out over the saltmarsh at Bawdsey.
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| Sunset over the saltmarsh at Bawdsey |
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Storm clouds and sunset at Bawdsey
The hot sunny weather came to an end last night with the arrival of some pretty heavy storm clouds. However they turned out to be all threat and no substance the rains never came!
Despite a promising start the sunset was not as spectacular as I had hoped, but I still managed a few images looking out over the saltmarsh at Bawdsey.
Despite a promising start the sunset was not as spectacular as I had hoped, but I still managed a few images looking out over the saltmarsh at Bawdsey.
Sunday 27 May 2012
Photographing David Bellamy for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust
We couldn't have had a better day for the opening of the new ferry crossing at the Waveny River Cenre on Saturday. The skies were brilliant blue and the sun shone all day. David Bellamy was there to open the foot ferry which will now enable walkers to join the Angles Way long distance path as well as allowing them to visit the Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve at Carlton Marshes. Apparently David is very familiar with the reserve at Carlon Marshes. He came here to carry out some research at the beginning of his career and yesterday recounted stories of swimming in the Waveney and crossing the river on the old ferry which used to run here.
Having grown up watching David "grubbing around in the undergrowth" on the TV it was a pleasure to meet him and take his photograph, and he was just as charming as I remembered from the television.
Having grown up watching David "grubbing around in the undergrowth" on the TV it was a pleasure to meet him and take his photograph, and he was just as charming as I remembered from the television.
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| David Bellay in the Wildlife Garden at Waveney River Centre |
Thursday 17 May 2012
Landguard Photography Competition Launched
The Landguard Peninsular has launched its annual photography competition which is open to all UK residents amateur or professional. This year the competition is split into three catagories; man made, texture or pattern and colour. The best 12 images will form the 2013 Discover Landguard calendar.
More information can be found at www.landguardpartnership.org.uk/competition
More information can be found at www.landguardpartnership.org.uk/competition
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| Remains of the old railway and pier at Landguard Point |
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Photographing Felixstowe Ferry
If you are looking for a riverside photography location in Suffolk that offers wide waterscape views mixed with interesting detail then you have to go a long way to beat Felixstowe Ferry for versatility and interest.
Located at the mouth of the River Deben, Felixstowe Ferry is a quaint mix of riverside cottages, 2 martello towers, fishing shacks, a working boatyard and a wonderfully interesting riverbank full of ramshackle old boats. It really is a photographers paradise.
Felixstowe Ferry can be reached by a riverside footpath which runs from Felixstowe seafront round to the river Deben. Follow this and you will pass two Martello Towers which date back to Napoleonic times before arriving at the fishing hamlet of Felixstowe Ferry. One the opposite bank of the Deben is Bawdsey Quay, with Bawdsey Manor house clearly visable amoungst the trees. The two settlements are connected by a small passanger ferry which runs across the river on demand.
Felixstowe Ferry boatyard has an interesting collection of fishing shacks which support the numerous fishing boats anchored offshore. Fresh fish can be bought from the shed next to the ferry.
Take some time to wander the banks of the river. The derelict boats and houseboats here make really interesting subjects although most have past their glory days! Look out for the "Hippo boat" which is worth taking some time to admire. Whoever lives here definitely has a sense of humour!
Felixstowe Ferry is worth visiting at any time of day as you are always guaranteed something interesting to see. The two Martello Towers stand as proud lookouts over the river entrance and make good subject matter. It would be worth planning a visit at sunrise to get a colourful backdrop to this tranquil Deben scene.
The purpose of my visit to Felixstowe Ferry today was to take some images for my 2013 River Deben calendar and I think I may just have captured a few suitable shots!
Located at the mouth of the River Deben, Felixstowe Ferry is a quaint mix of riverside cottages, 2 martello towers, fishing shacks, a working boatyard and a wonderfully interesting riverbank full of ramshackle old boats. It really is a photographers paradise.
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| Mouth of the River Deben |
Felixstowe Ferry can be reached by a riverside footpath which runs from Felixstowe seafront round to the river Deben. Follow this and you will pass two Martello Towers which date back to Napoleonic times before arriving at the fishing hamlet of Felixstowe Ferry. One the opposite bank of the Deben is Bawdsey Quay, with Bawdsey Manor house clearly visable amoungst the trees. The two settlements are connected by a small passanger ferry which runs across the river on demand.
Felixstowe Ferry boatyard has an interesting collection of fishing shacks which support the numerous fishing boats anchored offshore. Fresh fish can be bought from the shed next to the ferry.
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| Houseboats at Felixstowe Ferry |
Take some time to wander the banks of the river. The derelict boats and houseboats here make really interesting subjects although most have past their glory days! Look out for the "Hippo boat" which is worth taking some time to admire. Whoever lives here definitely has a sense of humour!
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| The Hippo Boat |
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| Felixstowe Ferry Martello Tower |
Saturday 12 May 2012
Discovering Butley Creek
In my search for new photographic locations I get to explore some amazing, tranquil and beautiful locations. This week was no exception as I discovered Butley Creek and Boyton Marshes for the first time. Despite living only 10 miles away from this deserted stretch of river I had never visited before, and now having been there, I can't understand why it took me so long to discover such a lovely place.
This seems to prove the point that it is very easy to ignore the countryside on our doorsteps. I am as guilty as the next person in planning big photographic adventures to far flung places, believing that the more exotic the location the better the photographic potential. But sometimes our local area can be much more productive and can often teach us some very valuable photographic lessons; maybe we ignore it at our peril?
Butley Creek is a tiny tributary off the River Ore on the Suffolk Coast. It could be described as a bleak place, with mudflats and saltmarsh on both sides and grazing marsh beyond - not a tree in sight and the north sea on the horizon.
However if you explore, the area has vast photographic potential. The saltmarsh is a mosaic of tiny creeks and pools dotted with numerous species of plant, and the mud flats are fantastic at reflecting the light from the sky which can alter the appearance of the place in a second. Having visited at 2pm on a windy afternoon I have decided to return at sunrise which I hope will reveal a more tranquil and calm scene. That is the beauty of local locations; if you don't get the image you want first time you can visit again when the weather conditions are right.
Surveying a location will reveal which areas are interesting and have possibilities so that when you do visit again you don't have to waste valuable time searching for an image.
I visited Butley Creek with the intention of finding a new location which I could use to illustrate the beauty and fragility of the Suffolk coast. For me Butley Creek offers the following photographic possibilities:
1. Landscapes and Waterscapes - the saltmarsh and mudflats taking on different dimensions depending upon the weather conditions and the available light.
2. Flora and fauna - the RSPB reserve at Boyton Marshes on the opposite side of the sea wall from Butley Creek provide great views of nesting Avocets as well as many geese and wading birds.
3. The Butley Ferry - observational shots of the ferry in operation and people using the environment as well as detailed landscape shots of boats on the water.
4. Boyton Dock and the old war time pill boxes- the remains of which add a historical element to the environment.
Having discovered Butley Creek this lovely deserted place is somewhere I will visit regularly, not least for its peace, tranquility and the variety of images that it offers, but also for the lessons in composition and use of light that shooting in familiar landscapes can teach us.
This seems to prove the point that it is very easy to ignore the countryside on our doorsteps. I am as guilty as the next person in planning big photographic adventures to far flung places, believing that the more exotic the location the better the photographic potential. But sometimes our local area can be much more productive and can often teach us some very valuable photographic lessons; maybe we ignore it at our peril?
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| Butley Creek |
However if you explore, the area has vast photographic potential. The saltmarsh is a mosaic of tiny creeks and pools dotted with numerous species of plant, and the mud flats are fantastic at reflecting the light from the sky which can alter the appearance of the place in a second. Having visited at 2pm on a windy afternoon I have decided to return at sunrise which I hope will reveal a more tranquil and calm scene. That is the beauty of local locations; if you don't get the image you want first time you can visit again when the weather conditions are right.
Surveying a location will reveal which areas are interesting and have possibilities so that when you do visit again you don't have to waste valuable time searching for an image.
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| The mouth of Butley Creek where it joins the River Ore |
I visited Butley Creek with the intention of finding a new location which I could use to illustrate the beauty and fragility of the Suffolk coast. For me Butley Creek offers the following photographic possibilities:
1. Landscapes and Waterscapes - the saltmarsh and mudflats taking on different dimensions depending upon the weather conditions and the available light.
2. Flora and fauna - the RSPB reserve at Boyton Marshes on the opposite side of the sea wall from Butley Creek provide great views of nesting Avocets as well as many geese and wading birds.
3. The Butley Ferry - observational shots of the ferry in operation and people using the environment as well as detailed landscape shots of boats on the water.
4. Boyton Dock and the old war time pill boxes- the remains of which add a historical element to the environment.
Having discovered Butley Creek this lovely deserted place is somewhere I will visit regularly, not least for its peace, tranquility and the variety of images that it offers, but also for the lessons in composition and use of light that shooting in familiar landscapes can teach us.
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Familiar locations - a photographers challenge
With so many varied landscapes in the British Isles why would anyone choose to continually photograph in a very familair location? Does familiarity breed contempt or is there a real advantage to knowing an area like the back of your hand?
For the last two years I have been making a photographic study of a one mile stretch of the River Deben in Suffolk. It is an area that I explore on a daily basis and one which I have come to know really well. I am familiar with every twist and turn in the river, with every tree and natural feature and with the way in which the area is used by wildlife and humans. I believe that the familiarity that I have with the location and the knowledge that I have gained about the varous habitats has really helped my photography.
All three images above were taken within 100meters of each other but during different seasons and I hope they illustrate the range of different images that a familiar location can produce.
More of my images from this project can be found in the June edition of Digital Photography enthusiast magazine http://www.digpe.com/
For the last two years I have been making a photographic study of a one mile stretch of the River Deben in Suffolk. It is an area that I explore on a daily basis and one which I have come to know really well. I am familiar with every twist and turn in the river, with every tree and natural feature and with the way in which the area is used by wildlife and humans. I believe that the familiarity that I have with the location and the knowledge that I have gained about the varous habitats has really helped my photography.
In the two years that I have been photographing this short stretch of the Deben I have tried to create as many different images as I can. Using the seasons, time of day and changes in the weather I now have a portfolio of images which I hope give an insight into a truely beautiful place.
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| Ramsholt Moorings |
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| Sunset over the River Deben |
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| Ramsholt Quay |
More of my images from this project can be found in the June edition of Digital Photography enthusiast magazine http://www.digpe.com/
Tuesday 8 May 2012
Photographing the Suffolk Coast
The Suffolk Coast is a beautiful place; its different habitats create a unique and visually rich environment which is fantastic for photography. If you are a visitor to this wonderful coastline then the question surely is "where are the best photographic locations?"
Some would say Southwold for its amazing skies, sandy beach, rows of colourful beach huts, or its graceful pier whilst others would argue that Aldburgh with its fishing industry and beach side scallop shell is the place to go. However, whilst I love both places I believe that the beauty of the Suffolk Coast lies in its detail and the challenge for a photographer is to look beyond the obvious. My choice of a great location would be an estuary mudflat or a vast expanse of shingle in preference to the more iconic locations found along this stretch of coastline.
So here are my top five favourite locations along the Suffolk Coast:
1. Shingle Street.
This wild and windswept spot at the mouth of the River Ore is an amazing place to visit. Its row of white coastguard cottages form a back drop to the vast shingle beach which is one of the best areas of vegetated shingle in Suffolk.
2. Landguard Point
If it is variety you are looking for then Landguard Point has it all. An historic fort, Britains largest container port, a nature reserve, the remains of an old pier and a bird observatory - there are a huge range of photographic possibilities here.
3. Pin Mill
Pin Mill on the River Orwell is the home of Thames barge racing and the setting for two of Arthur Ransome's stories. It is a tiny settlement on the river with a pub, a boatyard, a few picture postcard houses and some amazingly characterful old barges.
4.Orford
Orford has an attractive Quay on the River Ore, an historic castle and is the gateway to Orfordness and the RSPB reserve at Havergate Island.
5. Ramsholt
The tiny hamlet of Ramsholt on the River Deben is a photographers paradise. The sunsets here can be stunning and the boats on the river make great subject matter. Take a walk along the river path and you will pass many different habitats including saltmarsh, reedbeds, marshland and mudflats. Ramsholt also has a very picturesque round tower church which stands on a small hill overlooking the river
Some would say Southwold for its amazing skies, sandy beach, rows of colourful beach huts, or its graceful pier whilst others would argue that Aldburgh with its fishing industry and beach side scallop shell is the place to go. However, whilst I love both places I believe that the beauty of the Suffolk Coast lies in its detail and the challenge for a photographer is to look beyond the obvious. My choice of a great location would be an estuary mudflat or a vast expanse of shingle in preference to the more iconic locations found along this stretch of coastline.
So here are my top five favourite locations along the Suffolk Coast:
1. Shingle Street.
2. Landguard Point
3. Pin Mill
4.Orford
5. Ramsholt
Monday 7 May 2012
Welcome to my blog
2012 promises to be an exciting year for me. I get married in July to my wonderful partner Tim who over the years has introduced me to the delights of sailing and waterbased adventures which has added a whole new dimension to my photography. My waterbase images can still be found at http://www.acrossthebows.co.uk/
My first book which is a collection of family adventure walks is due to be published at the end of the year marking the beginning of my "Grab an Adventure" project aimed at getting children away from screens and virtual adventure and into the outdoors. Although just beginning this project is a real passion for me and one which I hope will grow and evolve into something inspirational. For more information please see http://www.grabanadventure.co.uk/.
My photography work is continually evolving. I have added a range of new images and greetings cards this year which are proving popular and I now have a permanent exhibition running at Buttermans Restaurant in Woolverstone Marina.
My journalism work is also keeping me busy with articles already commissioned for Anglia Afloat and The Countryman.
As well as all my latest news this blog will be full of articles relating to photography, Suffolk, outdoor adventures and anything that floats my boat! Please join me to see where this new adventure takes us.
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